‘Export Readiness seminar exceeds expectations’

Invest SVG has hailed a “success” the Export Readiness seminar it hosted on January 23 and 24.The agency, which is mandated to aid in export development, said the seminar aimed to better equip 50 members of the local business community for the realities of export.{{more}}

Over 60 local entrepreneurs took part in the seminar.

Shanna Browne, export development manager at Invest SVG, said the agency is satisfied with participants’ reception of the seminar.

“Not only did the seminar have more participants than anticipated, but also participants attended all of the sessions on both days, were attentive, engaged facilitators by asking questions and had very vibrant post-presentation discussions,” Browne explained.

She further said quite a number of participants expressed gratitude for the seminar, as they received a wealth of information that they previously did not have, concerning exporting from St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Topics covered in the seminar were introduction to export, financing your company for growth, export product appeal and packaging, trade and export finance, export marketing mix, overcoming barriers of trade, leveraging trade agreements, business networking and trade show preparation, and importance of ICT to business efficiency.

With the Export Readiness seminar complete, the agency is currently gearing up to launch its next event, VIPo — Vincentian Innovators Expo.

VIPo is a weekend-long expo, scheduled for March 22 to 24 at the Cruise Ship Berth. The expo will showcase 50 local exhibitors who have new and innovative approaches, ideas or concepts.

VIPo is the first undertaking of its kind for Invest SVG, and the agency has scheduled a media launch for Monday, where it says “all will be revealed”.

Both the Export Readiness seminar and VIPo are sponsored by the Caribbean Export Development Agency and the European Union, and held in partnership with the Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC).